Clock



Sept. 1, 1931.

H. l. MARMORSTEIN CLOCK Filed Sept. 27, 1921 2 sheets sheet l INVENTOR A TTOHNE Y5 p 1931. H. MARMORSTEIN 1,821,066

CLOCK Filed Sept. 27, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m vEuraR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 1, 1931 PATENT OFFICE HERMAN I. MARMORSTEIN, OF NEW YGRK, N. Y.

CLOCK Application filed September 27, 1927.

My invention relates to a new and improved clock or watch.

One of the objects of'my invention is to I provide a clock or watch in which the moving hands are replaced by intermittently actuated dials upon which the numbers indicating the respective hours and minutes are marked, only one of said respective numbers on each dial being successively exposed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a watch or clock of this type which shall be simple and compact and which will be reliable and economical to manufacture.

Other objects of my invention will be set forth in the following description and drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, it being understood that the above general statement of the objects of my invention is intended to generally explain the same and not to limit it in any manner.

Fig. 1 is a top elevation of a clock embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a watch embodying my invention. v

Fig. 4 is a top view of the device shown in Fi 1 the top plate being shown as remove j Fig. 5 is a top view of the bottom portion of the device shown in Fig. 4.

Fig.- 6 is a detail view.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the interior works or movements.

Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the hairspring barrel of the minute dial.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig; 9. v

Fig. 12'is a sectional view on the line 12-12 of Fig. 9.

The device is provided with a main spring of any suitable type (and not shown in the drawings) which is mounted in the usual manner within the main spring barrel 1. The other endof the main spring is con nected to the winding shaft 3 which is pro- 50 vided with the winding projection 2. The

Serial No. 222,258.

upper end of the winding shaft 3 nected to a fixed frame member F.

- The main spring barrel 1 is provided with the usual gear 4 which meshes with the gear 5 mounted upon the center post 6. The pinion 5 is not keyed to the center post 6. As shown in Fig. 11, for example, the center post 7 6 has a projection 7 which passes through the pinion 5 and is mounted in the frame member F. The center post 6 is provided with a collar projection 8 and a comprcssion spring 9 bears against the said collar 8 anu against the underside of the gear 5. The compression spring 9 tends to force the gear 5 which is slidably mounted upon the upper part of the center post 6 upwardly. The compression spring 9 forces the gear 5 upwardly until the top thereof contacts with the underside of the upper minute ratchet gear 8. This minute ratchet gear 8 is provided with sixty (60) teeth all inclined in the same direction.

In Fig. 11 a slight space is shown between the top of gear 5 and the bottom of minute ratchet gear 8, in order to more clearly illustrate the respective parts, but in actual practice the top of the gear 5 frictionally contacts with the bottom of the minute ratchet gear 8. The minute ratchet gear 8 is fined to the projection 7 by means of the screw 10 so that the ratchet gear 8 and the center post 6 turn in unison. A pawl 11 is actuated by a spring 12 so as to continuously mesh with the minute ratchet gear 8. Hence, the center post 6 can be turned by the linger hold 1% in only one direction to adjust the minute dial 15. The pawl 11 and the spring 12 are mounted upon the center wheel 16 which is provided with any suitable number of teeth depending upon the design of the transmission. The ratchet 8 and the center wheel 16 are turned together in the clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9 so that the pawl 11 and the ratchet gear 8 always .move in unison. The gear 5 and the center wheel. 16 are connected to each other in any suitable manner as by rivets or the like so that they can be inserted or taken off together. The center wheel 16 is connected to any suitable escapeis conment which is not illustrated as it would unnecessarily complicate the drawings. Said escapement regulates the turning of the center post 6 in the well known manner.

The top of the ratchet gear 8 is connected to the upper center wheel 17. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 for example, the upper center wheel 17 is provided with a series of six pins 18a, 186, 180, 18d, 186 and 18f, which are equi-distant. The upper center gear 17 has sixty teeth so that it is divided into six Zones each of which has ten teeth between the adjacent pins.

The pins 18?), 18c, 18d, 18c and 18; are all of the same length and they may be designated as ten-minute pins because they operate the ten-minute dial 82. The longest pin 1811 may be designated as the hour pin because it moves once during each complete revolution of the upper center wheel 17 to operate the hour dial 19.

The ten-minute pins 18b-18f inclusive and the hour pin 18a intermittently operate a lever 20, which may be called the ten-minute lever. This lever 20 normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 5 in which its tail piece 21 is acted upon by a blade spring 23 connected to the upper frame member F, so that said tail piece 21 normally contacts with stop pin 24. This lever 20 is pivotally mounted upon a post 25 pivoted in the lower frame member F.

The pivoted end of the lever 20 is provided with a squared neck which extends through an opening in the upper frame member F and the click lever 26 is mounted upon the squared neck so that the click lever 26 and the tenminute lever 20 move in unison. The front end of the click lever 26 is pivotally connected to the body thereof by means of a suitable screw as shown for example, in Fig. 5.

This front end 27 of the click lever 26 operates a ratchet wheel 28 which is mounted on a short shaft connected to the upper frame member F. A pawl 29 is urged by a spring 30 to engage with a smaller ratchet wheel which is connected to the underside of the ratchet wheel 28. Said pawl 29 and said spring 30 are connected to the top surface of the upper frame member F. When the lever 20 is turned by the pins 18a18f of the upper center wheel 17, the nose 27 of the lever 26 is free to turn with respect thereto because it is pivotally mounted upon a screw and it is held in the position shown in Fig. 5 by means of the thin blade spring 31. The smaller ratchet wheel connected to the underside of the ratchet 28 may be designated as a holding ratchet which cooperates with pawl 29 to prevent the ratchet 28 from over-running when it is intermittently turned by the lever 26 in the counter-cloclnvise direction.

WVhen the ten-minute lever 20 has been turned to the limit of its movement, produced by each of the ten-minute pins, the nose 27 occupies the position shown in Fig. 6 because it has been free to snap over the ratchet wheel 28 which is prevented from moving by means of the pawl 29.

However, upon the reverse movement of the ten-minute lever 20 which is produced by the spring 23, the said nose 27 engages the adjacent tooth of the ratchet gear 28, so as to turn it a distance corresponding to one tooth thereof or to ten teeth of the center wheel 17. The ten-minute dial or register 32 shown in Fig. 4, is directly above and is mounted upon the short shaft to which the ratchet gear 28 is connected so that each intermittent movement of the ratchet gear 28 turns the tenminute register 32 for a distance corresponding to the spacing between adjacent numerals. The mechanism for operating the one minute dial or register 15 is as follows The upper center wheel 17 makes one revolution per hour. This upper center wheel 17 meshes with the gear 41 which has ten teeth so that the said gear 41 makes one revolution every ten minutes because the upper center wheel 17 has sixty teeth.

As shown in Fig. 8, the gear or pinion 41 extends above the upper frame member F where it is connected to gear 51 which has fifty teeth. Said gear 51 meshes with a gear 50 which also has fifty teeth. The gear 50 is mounted on a shaft 52 which is connected to the top frame member F. The shaft 52 is provided with a disk 44 to which the inner end of the hair-spring H is connected. The outer end of the hairspring H is connected to the hair-spring barrel 43. The barrel 43 is provided with ten pins 55 which are equally spaced upon the periphery thereof and which are adapted to mesh with the teeth of pinion 41 as indicated in Figs. 5 and 9, for example.

Since gear 41 turns at the rate of one tooth per minute, this causes one of the pins 55 to be released per minute. Every time one of the pins 55 is released, the barrel 43 is free to turn until the next pin 55 engages with the gear 41. Hence, each jump or intermittent movement of the hair-spring barrel 43 corresponds exactly to the amount of winding of the hair-spring which has been caused by the movement of the gears 41, 51 and 50. Hence, the hair-spring H never becomes over-wound as it is intermittently wound and then released to exactly the same extent. I prefer to assemble the parts so that hair-spring H is initially wound to an extent corresponding to the distance between adjacent pins 55.

The minute dial or wheel 15 is mounted on the top of the hair-spring barrel so that it is moved in unison therewith.

The pins 55 are shaped so that they can fit between the teeth of the gear 41.

The hour wheel or dial 19 is mounted upon a shaft also connected to the upper frame member F. A spring washer W frictionally connects the dial 19 to the shaft so that when said shaft turns the dial 19 is moved in unison therewith, but the dial 19 can be turned in one direction independently of said shaft 70. Said shaft 70 is provided with a ratchet gear 60 which is acted upon by the projection 80 of a lever 81. The projection 80 is pivotally connected to the lever 81 by a screw 82, this construction being the same as that previously described in connection with the parts 26 and 27.

A blade spring 83 normally holds the pro jection 80 in the position indicated in Fig. 5.

The hour lever 83 is pivotally mounted on a post 84 and this lever 83 is intermittently actuated only by the long pin 18a. A blade spring 87 normally maintains the hour lever 83 in the position shown in Fig. 5 in which one end88 thereof is pressed against a stop pin 88. I

The members 81 and 83 are connected to each other so that they move in unison in the clockwise direction only, just as the members 20 and 26 are connected to move in unison in said direction. When member 81 is turned-in the counter-clockwise direction, member 80 is free to move relatively thereto.

Hence, when the lever 83 is turned, this also turns the upper lever 81 to compress the blade spring 87 until the projection 80 passes over one of the twelve teeth of the hour ratchet 60. When the hour lever 83 is released, it springs back to the position shown in Fig. 5 while the projection 80 actuates the hour ratchet 60 for a distance corresponding to one tooth. This simultaneously causes the hour dial 19 to be revolved for a distance corresponding to the spacin between adjacent numerals because said iour dial 19 is connected to shaft '70 of'hour ratchet 60 as previously described.

The hour ratchet 60 is provided upon its under-face with a small and corresponding ratchet 61, which is engaged by a pawl 90, actuated by a spring91 connected to frame member F so as to prevent the turning of the shaft 70 save in one direction. The dial 19 also has the pawl 90 pivotally connected thereto, and this pawl 90 is urged by spring 91, also connected to member 19, so that pawl 90 engages ratchet 92 on shaft 70. The members 92, 60 and 61 may be integral. The toB of the device is provided with a face dial having openings so that one of the numerals in the respective minute, ten-minute and hour dials can be inspected. For example, in Fig. 3, the reading of these dials will show that the correct time is 10: 35.

The hour dial 19 projects from one side of the casing so that it can be adjusted independently of the other dials whenever desired and in either direction. When the hour dial 19 is turned in the clockwise direction it turns independently of the shaft 70 because pawl 90 slips on ratchet 92. When it is turned in the counter-clockwise direction the shaft 70 turns therewith because pawl 90 then engages ratchet 92, but the nose 80 is then free to turn in the clockwise direction so as to permit the free turning of the hour ratchet 60. The pawl 90 only permits shaft 70 to turn in the counter-clockwise direct-ion.

The operation of my device is as follows The respective dials 19, 32 and 15 can be set to indicate the correct time by merely turning the centerpost 6 by means of finger hold 14. WVhen centerpost 6 is turned, this I causes the ratchet 8 to be turned because pin 10 connects ratchet 8 to the member 7. The turning of ratchet 8 causes the simultaneous turning of gear 17, but only in the clockwise direction, because pawl 11 mounted on gear 16 prevents any reverse movement. The turning of the wheel 17 operates the levers 20 and 83, by means of the pins 18a-18f. The short pins 18t18f only operate the lever 20, and the long pin simultaneously operates both levers 20 and 83, so that the hour wheel 19 is turned for one fraction of a complete revolution corresponding to the spacing of adjacent numerals thereon for each complete turn of the tenminute register 32. Likewise, the turning of gear 17, and of the gear 41 connected there with. simultaneously actuates the minuteregister 15, (by means of the hair-spring barrel and the associated parts), so that minute-register 15 is turned a complete revolution, for each movement of ten-minute register 32 corresponding to the spacing between adja-centnumerals. All these movements are intermittent, save when the respective minute and ten-minute dials have completed a complete revolution. That is, the hour register 19 remains stationary while the ten-minute register moves in a series of intermittent movements to successively display the numerals 1-5. Then when the tenminute and minute registers display the numeral 59 the next intermittent movement of the ten-minute register 32 is simultaneous with the next intermittent movement of the hour register 19, so that hour. register 19 displays the next numeral, and the tenminute register displays 0. Likewise, the ten-minute register remains stationary after a given numeral thereon has been displayed, while minute register 15 is given nine intermittent movements to display the numerals 0 to 9 respectively, and thenboth registers 32 and 15 are moved simultaneously to display the next number on register 32, and to display 0 on minute register 15.

To save time in setting the device, the hour register 19 can be moved in opposite directions.

After the correct time has been set, the same movements are produced by the turning of the main spring barrel. When the gear 5 isturned, the member 6 turns in unison therewith.

It will be noted that the projections 27 and 5 80 of the pawls 26 and 81 can only be turned in one direction to operate the ratchets 28 and 60, namely, in the clockwise direction. Hence, said projections can slip over the adjacent teeth of the ratchets 28 and 60 when their respective pawls are turned in the counter-clockwise direction, while said projections 27 and 80 engage the said adjacent teeth to actuate the ratchets 28 and 60 when said pawls are turned in the clockwise direction. As shown in Fig. 5, the pivoted projection 27 of the pawl 26 is substantially aligned with the corresponding radius of the ratchet 28, when the pawl 26 is in a position which may be designated as its final position. This minimizes friction and facilitates the ready movement of the parts.

For example, the spaces between the numbers on the minute wheel 15 could be provided with markings indicating either half minutes or quarter minutes and the openings in the face dial D could be made large enough to show these intermediate markings. While the minute wheel 15 moves in a series of intermittent movements, it moves slightly just before it is released so that said intermediate marking or markings would become visible through the openings in the face dial D.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is clear that numerous i changes and omissions could be made without departing from its spirit.

' I claim r 1. In a time indicating device, the subcombination of an hour register, a ten-minute register, levers located one under the other and respectively associated with the said registers, springs respectively associated with the said levers and adapted to hold them in pre-determined position, and a turnable member having six laterally projecting and equally spaced pins at the periphery thereof, said pins being out of the plane of and within the periphery of said turnable member, five of said pins being of substantially the same 0 height and being shorter than the sixth pin,

the said five pins being adapted to intermittently actuate the lever associated with the ten-minute register, and the sixth and longer pin being adapted to simultaneously actuate both said levers.

2. In a time indicating device the subcombination of a ten-minute register, a minute register, a turnable gear adapted to cause the intermittent actuation of the ten-minute register, a spring barrel, a second gear meshing with the said turnable gear, the said turnable gear having six times as many teeth as the second gear, the said second gear being connected to winding mechanism adapted to wind up the spring of the said spring barrel,

and means adapted to intermittently and regularly release the said spring barrel so as to permit it to have an intermittent movement corresponding to one-tenth of the circumference thereof for each one-tenth of a revolution of the said second gear, said means com prising ten equally spaced pins on the periphery of the said spring barrel, said pins being adapted to engage the teeth of the second mentioned gear.

3. In a time indicating mechanism, the combination of a revoluble time register, a ratchet associated therewith, a pawl associated with said ratchet, said pawl having a projection pivoted thereto, said projection being substantially aligned with the corresponding radius of said ratchet, a spring associated with the said projection and adapted to hold it in a predetermined position, said projection being turnable in one direction only so that it is adapted to slip over the adjacent teeth of the ratchet when the pawl is turned in one direction, said projection being adapted to engage said adjacent tooth to turn said ratchet when said pawl is operated in the reverse direction, and means adapted to intermittently oscillate the said pawl.

4. In a time indicating device, the combination of an hour register mounted on a shaft, a ratchet associated with the said hour register, a second ratchet associated with the first mentioned ratchet, a pawl associated with the second mentioned ratchet to prevent the turning of the said register save in a given direction, the teeth of both said ratchets being inclined in the same direction, an actuating pawl associated with the first mentioned ratchet, means adapted to oscillate said actuating pawl, said actuating pawl having a proj ection adapted to turn in one direction only with respect to said actuating pawl, and spring means'adapted to hold said projection in a pre-determined position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

-HERMAN I. MARMORSTEIN. 

